Republicans blast Obamacare cancellations in weekly address

Republicans once again used their weekly address to bash Obamacare on Saturday — this time by declaring that if President Barack Obama is truly sorry about all of the canceled health plans and the broken website, he’ll do something about them.

In the address, Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.) slammed all of the individual health insurance cancellations that are happening around the country because the plans don’t meet the new requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Obama apologized about the cancellations in an interview with NBC Thursday.

“This is what betrayal looks like,” Young said. If Obama is “truly sorry” about these cancellations and the other problems with the law, Young said, he will “take steps to right this wrong” and delay the individual mandate penalty.

“After all, how can you tax people for not buying a product from a website that doesn’t work?” Young asked.

Young also noted that the House will vote on the “Keep Your Health Care Act” next week, a GOP bill that would allow currently available plans to be offered next year.

At a House Ways and Means Committee hearing last week, Young held up a cancellation notice that one of his constituents received and asked Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner about it. She suggested that the woman and her husband visit HealthCare.gov, which they did, Young said.

The couple tried for a month, even setting their alarm clock for the middle of the night, so they could log on when there was less traffic, Young said. But they haven’t made any progress and will probably purchase private insurance.

“They know it’ll probably cost more, but they’d rather have that certainty and avoid federal penalties than bear more worry and sleepless nights,” Young said.

Young concluded by reiterating a favorite Republican talking point: “The problem isn’t just a website—-it’s the whole law.”